Overview
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Israel issued a joint declaration after a meeting in Jerusalem on 1 September 2026 that reaffirms a plan for Kinshasa to relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
- The same declaration includes a reciprocal commitment for Israel to open a resident embassy in Kinshasa, and both governments said they will negotiate the practical steps through diplomatic channels.
- Officials gave no timetable for either move, though Israeli ministers publicly urged faster progress and said the DRC could become one of the small number of countries with an embassy in Jerusalem.
- The plan is politically sensitive because most countries keep embassies in the Tel Aviv area while the status of Jerusalem remains disputed and the U.N. Security Council has opposed unilateral changes.
- President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi’s stated religious affinity for Israel and a desire for closer ties with the United States are cited as drivers of the shift, which could deepen security and economic cooperation but may also draw diplomatic pushback.